Ginny's New Patronus
by Queen of Everyday
Summary: During the summer of the Deathly Hallows, Order members and family get situated with each others Patronuses. What happens when Ginny's takes an unsuspecting turn?
1. The Change

Ginny Weasley watched, impressed, as the order members cast their Patronuses for everyone to recognize. Kingsley Shacklebolt's was a lynx, Hestia Jones' was a racoon, Dedalus Diggle's was a squirrel, Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin's was a werewolf, Remus Lupin's was also a werewolf, Molly Weasley's was an owl, Arthur Weasley's was a weasel, Minerva McGonagall's was a cat, Pomona Sprout's was a unicorn, Poppy Pomfrey's was an elephant, Filius Flitwick's was a fox, Rolanda Hooch's was a badger, Mundungus Fletcher's was a ferret, William Weasley's was a lion, Fleur Weasley's was a robin, George Weasley's was a Kappa and Fred Weasley's was a Hinkypunk.

"Ginny, why don't you go as well? Just in case?" Molly asked her daughter, kindly. Her daughter almost seemed as though she would break. Her hair was limp, her face was grim. It had been fourteen day since Harry, Ron and Hermione disappeared. And Ginny was very worried.

"OK," Ginny replied, standing up. _"Expecto Patronum." _

A large horse burst from the tip of her wand galloped around until it was standing directly in front of Ginny. As Ginny stared at it, she thought of Harry. Instead of disappearing from lack of focus, the horse started to do something very odd indeed.

It was getting shorter and its legs appeared to be shrinking. Its mane and tail disappeared and was replaced by smaller, prettier ears than the horse had and a short, stout tail. Everyone gaped as the now beautiful Patronus completed its transformations.

Instead of a long, skinny, moderately pretty horse, there stood a beautiful sparkling doe, at least ten times more beautiful than the palomino horse had been. Her eye lashes were long, her body slender and her eyes seemed to twinkle. Ginny knew that if a Patronus could be any colour other than just white, those eyes would have been piercing green. Like Harrys, they seemed to see right through her.

Everyone stared, transfixed, as the doe ran around the room thrice, her feet barely grazing the ground as she floated out the window and grew smaller and smaller on the Burrow's grounds before disappearing altogether.

Arthur and Bill were staring, open-mouthed, at the window, confused as were a few other order members and most of the teachers. Professor McGonagall was staring sadly at Ginny, remembering Harry's Patronus on the Quidditch Pitch four years ago. Molly had her hand over her heart, staring at Ginny mournfully. Fleur was looking at Ginny with pity in her eyes, how she knew, Ginny wasn't sure. Fred and George exchanged a look and then promptly gave her a look that currently rivaled Fleur's. Tonks' hair had returned to its natural mousey-brown colour, as she stared at Ginny, understanding the pain. _My pain_, Ginny reminded herself, angrily. Remus looked shocked and upset. Kingsley looked as though he was torn between running out the door and Apparating home and handing her a tissue.

She didn't understand their reactions until she saw the room blur and realized that there were warm tears flowing loosely down her face. She reached up and tried to wipe them off, albeit irritably. Giving up, as she realized they weren't going to stop soon, she ran, pushing past her shell-shocked father and weather-worn brother, passed their looks of concern and pity and out of the Burrow.

This was so stupid. Her, Ginny Weasley, tough girl, breaking down, reduced to tears over a dumb Patronus.

_No, _said a voice in the back of her head, _over Harry. Always over Harry. _


	2. The Obvious Thing

Ginny opened her eyes to the feeling of someone pressing something warm and soft on her face. She opened her eyes and saw a plait of platinum-blonde hair in her way. The face moved back and her newly married sister-in-law loomed into view. She tried to sit up.

"Ginny, lay back down," Ginny felt her mother push her back down as she came into sharp focus. As she looked around, she found herself in the living with her feet propped up on pillows and Fleur, Molly, Tonks, Bill, Arthur and the twins gathered around her couch.

"Ginny? Honey, can you hear me?"

Molly asked.

"Y-yes, how did I get here?" Ginny hated how her voice sounded. Weak, pitiful.

"Well…" Molly said hesitantly.

"What? What happened?"

"Ginny, Bill carried you inside. He found you passed out outside, you gave us all a right fright, you did," Tonks' voice was slightly shaking as well.

"We're going to go back the shop now that we know your safe, OK, Ginny?" George asked.

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine." Fred and George shuffled out of the room, Bill and Arthur on their heels. As Bill passed Ginny, he smiled sadly at her.

After a moment of sitting there quietly, Fleur spoke, "I remember 'Arry's Patronus being a stag."

Ginny didn't say anything so Tonks spoke, "Molly, Fleur, do you mind if I have a second with Ginny?" Fleur nodded and left, and a second later Ginny heard soft murmuring from the kitchen but Molly stayed where she was looking at Tonks.

"But, Dora -"

"Go, mum, its fine," Ginny croaked. Molly looked at her for a second before she turned and walked out the door.

"So, Harry, huh? You know, I kind of get the whole breaking up with you to keep you safe thing," Tonks said. Ginny thought about how she was pregnant and Remus just came back to her after leaving yet again and decided that if anyone would understand, it would be her.

"Well," Ginny hesitated, "I dated Harry last year and – and he broke up with me," she whispered. "It was like a dream, the thing I wanted for so long, and now I had it. I was kidding myself when I dated Michael and Dean. When Harry started to look at me differently, I told myself I was wrong. I was imagining things, but I broke with Dean anyway, and after the Quidditch match, he kissed me. _Me_, Tonks. It was Dumbledore's funeral that he broke up with me. And now he's gone. He's gone." Ginny's voice broke and she started sobbing. She realised she hadn't really been talking to Tonks, though she was there, it was more like she was speaking to herself.

She looked at Tonks, begging her to understand. "I _knew_. I knew from the start, he would never be able to stay with me. But I dated him anyway because – because…"

"Because you love him," Tonks murmured.

"You make it sound like the most obvious thing in the world."

"It is," she whispered.


	3. No Use Crying Over Spilt Juice

Later that evening, Ginny walked into the kitchen and the reactions were instantaneous, Fred spilt juice all down his robes, George fell off his chair, Professor McGonagall looked forlorn, Molly smiled, Tonks winked, Remus averted eye contact, Bill leapt up and tripped over a rucksack laying carelessly on the floor, Fleur shot him a look and Arthur started a coughing fit.

"Hey Fred, George," Ginny said. "When did you get back from the shop?"

"Wha – What shop? Oh! _Oh._ That shop. Ah – well, we got back about a half an hour ago," George spluttered.

"Smooth," she heard Tonks mutter.

"OK, cool." Aware that everyone was staring at her, Ginny sat down.

Her mind wandered, she was sitting with Harry beside the lake. She thought back to the feel of his arm around her waist and her head on his shoulder, "Harry?" She had asked.

"Yes?" He smiled down at her.

"Do you think about him a lot? You know, Voldemort?"

He frowned and for a second, she had worried that he wouldn't answer – that she had pushed too hard. "I – I do. Sometimes. No, a lot. But, Ginny, you already knew that." The way he looked at her, it was like he could read every thought. "Ginny?"

"I just wondered is all." Thinking back, Ginny knew that she should have voiced her fears, because now it was too late. He was gone.

A voice broke through her thoughts, "Ginny? _Ginny! _Earth to Ginny…"

"Oh, what?"

"I said," Bill sounded concerned, "that you're going to go by Hogwarts train next Monday and that me, Mum, Dad, Tonks, Remus, Kingsley, Fred and George are all going to go with you."

"Do that many people really need to go?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, for your safety. Remus, Tonks and Kingsley will just Apparate with you then immediately Disapparate back. We don't want anyone to see us with them, OK? It could compromise them. Ginny, are you listening?"

"What? Yeah, of course, I am."


	4. He Kissed You Back

Three days before Ginny was to return to school, she came down the stairs with no sleep. She hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours and it was getting ridiculous. How long was the constant, aching pain in her heart going to keep her awake? Keep her with nothing to do in the dead of the night but stare at the ceiling, with those damned tears that just refused to stop falling down her face, thinking. Thinking about _him_. About how he would gently tuck her hair behind her ear on the right side, how he would kiss her just so, but most of all how she would stare into his bright green eyes and be lost. She also thought about most about how, the day before her had left – his birthday - she had pulled him aside and kissed him. Then her idiot brother had burst in on them. God, the thought made her cry harder. Did he not realise just how important that had been to her? How she had deliberated and planned that for _weeks?_ She could always start to feel sleepy – but she would never give in. Because when she slept, she had _the_ nightmares.

The nightmares of Harry – a gut-wrenching sob welled up in her whenever she thought the name – dead. Hurt. Lost.

_He's probably not as unhappy as you_, a snide voice sounded in her head, as she descended the almost never-ending staircase.

_Yes_, another voice sounded,_ he_ is. _He has to be. Come on, you felt it, Ginny. He kissed you back._

With that last thought, _he kissed you back; _Ginny blindly reached the kitchen but stopped outside the door as she heard her name.

"I haven't decided whether to let Ginny go back just yet -" Ginny vaguely heard her desperate mother's voice.

"Molly, _no_." Tonks said sharply from the other side of the kitchen door. "She has got to go back. It's the law, now. Talk to her. Tell -"

"_Talk _to her? You're kidding, Dora. She doesn't exactly talk, nowadays."

"Yes, actually, she does. She's sixteen; she can make her own choices, Molly."

"No she can't. She'll want to go."

"Then let her go."

"NO."

Fed up of hearing her mother insult her, she pushed open the door.

Tonks and Molly turned sharply towards the slight scraping noise the door made. Tonks opened her mouth as though to say something but she just didn't know what. Molly simply looked guilty.

"Tell me what?"


	5. April 20th

The last chapter of _Ginny's New Patronus_ is coming **Friday, April 20****th****, 2012. **

Thanks to everyone who's stuck by my story! The new and, sadly, last chapter of my story is coming out soon and it will be called _You're Right._ A little disclaimer that goes for the whole story: I don't own anything you recognize! That all goes to the brilliant Joanne Kathleen Rowling. One of my favorite authors of all times. It has been a pleasure writing this story for you all. A special thanks to my reviewers: _Anonymous_- Thanks. The idea came to me while I was daydreaming about Harry Potter. Weird, right? _Mit1_- Thank-you. Sorry, I didn't bring Harry into the story but in a way I did. The doe symbolized Harry somehow. It gave her strength at the same time that it took away some. _Tryagain4me_- Thanks! I am/will.

Here are twelve previews (sort of like a story trailer) for the final chapter:

"Mum._ I'm not hungry. Now, what don't you want to tell me?"_

_She seemed to be awaiting Ginny's reaction before reacting._

_Whatever she had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that._

_She also wondered whether the name Alecto or Amycus sounded manlier._

"_I will not excuse you."_

_Tonks grimaced, knowing that that was really not the thing to say._

"_WHO GOT POSSESED BY TOM RIDDLE?"_

"_Come in when you're ready, OK?"_

_Her face looked a lot better after Tonks' help but she probably couldn't say the same for her hair. _

_The twins were bent over a book – a _book_? – and talking in low voices._

_They all jumped when she opened the door._

_Ginny smiled vindictively._


	6. You're Right

"Oh, nothing,dear," Molly twitched. "Ah, up so early? My, my, it's only six. Can I get you some French toast? Owlio's? Biscuits? Porrid -?"

Before she could finish her rant, Ginny cut her off. "_Mum_. I'm not hungry. Now, what don't you want to tell me?"

"Snape's the new Headmaster," Tonks said, expressionless. She seemed to be awaiting Ginny's reaction before reacting.

"_Tonks_," Molly hissed.

It took a second for what Tonks said to sink in. "W-what?" She stammered. Whatever she had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that.

"Well, yes, dear, exactly that," Molly seemed to gain confidence now that she knew Ginny wasn't going to whip out her wand and start firing curses. "And, well, do you know the Carrows? They're Death Eaters?"

Ginny nodded mutely, she did know the Carrows. "Well, Alecto will be teaching mandatory Muggle Studies and her brother, Amycus, will be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts 'cept it's now just the Dark Arts."

Ginny blinked, trying to process what she just heard. One thing she heard quite plainly. She also wondered whether the name Alecto or Amycus sounded manlier. Which was which?

"What do you mean you haven't decided whether or not to send me back yet?" She demanded.

"Well, Ginny, you can expect your mother to have her reservations –"

"No, Tonks, _actually_, I can't. That's not fair. You're right," she turned to her mother. "_You're_ wrong. It's my choice and I will not, I _will not_ allow the stupid Carrows to scare me off."

"Ginny," Molly scowled. "You are under age. It is my choice and your father's choice if we send you back. Now, I have laundry to do. If you'll excuse me –"

"No," Ginny's voice got higher. "I will not excuse you. We are in the middle of a discussion -"

"This discussion is between me and Arthur. Not you."

Tonks grimaced, knowing that that was really not the thing to say.

Her mother started to turn away as Ginny screamed at her. "WHO GOT POSSESED BY TOM RIDDLE? HUH? I DID! ME! _WHO WENT TO THE_ MINISTRY_ WITH NEVILLE, LUNA, RON, HERMIONE AND HAR- HA- H-"_ Unable to finish, she felt tears prick her eyes and sobs well up. Not wanting her mother and friend to witness her break down yet again, she ran from the house. _Again_.

Tonks found Ginny by the small pond that was barely hidden by the trees in the Burrow's backyard.

"Wotcher," Tonks murmured.

"Hey, T-Tonks," Ginny turned her face, trying to hide her tear streaked face. She had been outside for about two hours so the tears had stopped a while ago.

"Molly wanted to follow you but I convinced her to wait a bit. Give you some space."

"Thanks," Ginny nodded.

"You know, I talked to her. I reckon she's starting to realize it's your choice too and that you ought to go back. Arthur and Remus will help assure her, I'm sure. Kinsley too." Tonks smiled at her then reached into her cloak, pulling out a handkerchief. She held it out to Ginny, who gratefully took it and wiped her face.

"Thank-you, Tonks. Really." Ginny said earnestly.

"My pleasure, Ginny. Come in when you're ready, OK?" Tonks asked, standing up.

"OK."

Twenty minutes later, Ginny hesitantly pulled open the Burrow's door. Her face looked a lot better after Tonks' help but she probably couldn't say the same for her hair.

Apprehensively, she pushed open the door. Remus and Tonks stood beside her mother, who looked a little confused and distraught. The twins were bent over a book – a _book?_ – and talking in low voices. Fleur was writing something in a notepad and Kingsley was staring at the wall randomly. They all jumped when she opened the door.

Tonks smiled warmly at Ginny and pulled Remus towards the door. "Well, thanks for the tea, Molly. But we really must get going." Molly nodded distractedly.

Molly looked at Ginny and nodded. Ginny realized that nod meant _If you must, you may go_. She also realized that she wasn't the only one suffering from Harry, Ron and Hermione being gone. Ron was Molly's kid and Harry and Hermione were as good as.

Ginny brushed through the kitchen door and up the stairs. _Oh, Carrows, Snape, _Ginny thought. _You don't know what's coming for you._

Wiping away the last remnants of her tears, Ginny smiled vindictively. They were going to wish they had never taken those jobs. And Ginny would be the one making them.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks so much for reading this:) If you liked it (or didn't), you should check some of my other fics...<strong>

**Don't forget to review!**

**_HGRH_**


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